


So Baby Come Light Me Up

by lysiabeth



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 17:22:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15272484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lysiabeth/pseuds/lysiabeth
Summary: The receptionist placed the phone down as she ended her call.“What can I do for you?” She smiled, pulling her pen out of her breast pocket and writing something down on a form to her right.“Was there a John Doe brought in? Suffering from a bullet wound to the shoulder?” Jason asked, and the woman’s eyebrow quirked up.





	So Baby Come Light Me Up

It’s a bit cliche, but Jason hated hospitals. He never liked them when he was younger either – too many memories of his mom and far too many condescending nurses – and then when he’d moved in with Bruce, the man had just used his own means to treat injury or sickness. Then he’d died, of course, and so he tried to avoid any and all medical professionals because of the all-too-obvious autopsy scars, which could run the risk of someone wanting to do a DNA test.

But sometimes they just can’t be avoided.

Jason was wearing plain clothes. Dark jeans and a t-shirt, a plain brown leather jacket over top. He has a cap on to hide both his white streak and a blossoming black eye, and he didn’t need to look in a mirror to get an idea of what the people in the waiting room are thinking when they glance over at him. He meandered up to the front desk and tapped his fingers on the underside while the receptionist finished a phone call.

Her eyes flicked up to him, and Jason squirmed as she gave him a once over.

Jas had politely nodded at her. ‘ _ Take your time _ ’, he hoped it conveyed, even though he’d had anxiety crawling up his throat since Roy had gone down. He was angry, too – angry at Roy for jumping in front of the bullet that Jason’s vest could have very easily stopped, angry that he couldn’t drag the two of them away from the scene before the cops arrived. Angry that he had to leave Roy there as he had watched from the rooftops while idiot paramedics loaded him into an ambulance and sped off to the local hospital.

Jason’s own injuries hurt, too. Apart from the black eye he also had a deep gash on his forearm due to a knife he’d been too late dodging completely, and in his haste to get back to his safe house to change so he could get to the hospital as quick as possible he had tripped on a loose brick on some rooftop and twisted his ankle.

He was tired, he was hungry, and he was worried sick. The receptionist placed the phone down as she ended her call.

“What can I do for you?” She smiled, pulling her pen out of her breast pocket and writing something down on a form to her right.

“Was there a John Doe brought in? Suffering from a bullet wound to the shoulder?” Jason asked, and the woman’s eyebrow quirked up.

“I can’t… Just give you that kind of information. Unless, of course, you were a witness to the shooting, in which case I can call the police department-“

“No, please don’t do that. I just heard from someone else who had witnessed it what had happened. The guy who was shot just matches the description of a guy I know. I wanted to check if he was alright.” Jason lied through his teeth, and that’s another thing he hated about hospitals. Too many questions about things that shouldn’t concern others. Who cares if he was a witness to the shooting; shouldn’t they just be happy they’re no longer dealing with another nameless patient in what Jason knows is the hospital hotspot for shady injuries in this city?

The receptionist clicked her pen a few times in succession, pensive.

“I’ll tell you what. There may have been a guy brought in through the Emergency Room say, half an hour ago? With a very distinct shoulder injury, sure, but whether or not it was caused by a bullet I couldn’t say – I’m only the receptionist, right?”

Jason raised an eyebrow at her. “…Right.”

“They patched him up quite well, from what I heard. Had to sedate him pretty heavily though, because he kept trying to get up and leave – talking about a friend who needed his help.” The receptionist continued, and she’s searching Jason’s body language for any kind of tell that might tip her off. Jason kept a straight face.

“What the hell. You seem like an okay guy. He’s on the third floor – all the emergency patients are. Take the elevator on the left and you’ll get there just fine.” The receptionist sighed. She looked like she was about to say something else, but the phone next to her started ringing. Jason slapped his hands against the desk and sent her a smile.

He remembered to say thank you before making his way towards the elevator she had pointed out. He tapped his foot against the floor, picking at the cuticle on his thumb. Jason noticed that his knuckles were scraped up pretty badly too, but he’d been too busy trying to stop the bleeding on his arm as he made his way through the city to Roy. The whole evening had been a mess, he and Roy weren’t even meant to be in the city any longer, but he’d let Roy convince him to stay behind so they could get some rest overnight.

And then the two of them had been a witness to a mugging gone wrong and decided to step in, and now here Jason was. The elevator dinged as he got to the emergency ward, momentarily pulling Jason out of his thoughts. There was a frantic energy here, a stark contrast to the quiet of downstairs, and it made Jason nervous. He was itching to make a run for it, the antiseptic smell burning his nostrils, but he pushed through, keeping an eye out for any signs of Roy.

There was a nurses station down the hall. A blaring from one of the beds rang out and the woman behind the desk immediately stood. Jason pulled his cap lower and waited until she had left, sneaking into the area and running his eyes over the floor plan.

Names and injuries, on each bed. Jason felt panic rise when he couldn't find any mention of a John Doe, until something caught his eye - Ronald Todd; GSW.

The blaring subdued and Jason stood. Roy had been placed in a secluded room, likely due to the sedation, and Jason wandered around fast paced, keeping an ear out for anyone who may be following. He was so far so good, and he took in a deep breath when he reached Roy’s supposed room, creaking the door open softly.

He was perched up on pillows, thick gauze covering the wound and his arm in a sling. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, likely because it had been ripped to shreds when they’d had to get it off him to stop the bleeding. Something in Jason’s resolve let go and he shuddered, finally feeling like he could breathe again.

“No… Flowers?” Roy mumbled with an eye cracked open. Jason hadn’t even realised he’d woke him when he entered, but he pulled his cap off and cracked a smile.

“Couldn’t justify that kinda money on you, Harper. Have you seen the prices of a hospital gift shop these days?” Jason asked, moving over to the bed and gingerly sitting himself down on the stool to Roy’s right; his uninjured side. He placed his cap on the small table where Roy’s own belongings had been dumped.

“Point. Guess I’ll just have to look a’ your pretty face.” Roy said, his words still slurring from the after effects of the sedative, and Jason tried to calm himself down - this was so not the time for his crush to rear its ugly unwanted head.

“S’up… Jaybird. Got a face on like someone… Killed your dog.” Roy asked, and Jason watched with panic as Roy moved himself over on the bed, hissing as he pulled on his bad arm. Jason stared at him as Roy pat the space next to him.

“I’ve got no shirt on and this piece of shit building has no heat pump to spare.” Roy said, pulling his blankets back, and Jason flicked at Roy’s hand and pulled them back up, but slowly lowered himself onto the hospital cot anyways, his shoulder and thigh lining up with Roy’s.

Jason tensed slightly when Roy leant his head on his shoulder, his breath warm against Jason’s cheek.

“Thanks for the visit, Jay.”

Jason could feel the vibrations as Roy spoke, and he pulled his hands together tightly. Roy’s free hand reached out then, lightly dragging his fingers over his busted knuckles.

Jason’s breath hitched when Roy curled his hand around his, and brought it up to his face.

“Harper…” His voice was wrecked, cracking when he spoke Roy’s name, his eyes fixed on where Roy linked their fingers together and pressed a light kiss to Jason’s middle finger knuckle, right where the skin had split.

“You ever- You ever think there’ll be a day where we make it out of something where one of us doesn’t nearly die?” Roy asked, his voice quiet, their hands linked and resting on Roy’s thigh.

Jason shrugged, his throat too dry to answer. Roy’s heart monitor beeped but neither of them took notice, Jason shuffling closer so he was practically sat on Roy’s right thigh, the sound of his blood rushing thundering in his ears.

Jason figured now was the perfect time to scold the man before him.

“You… Are stupid. And selfless. And really bad at fucking-”

Roy smirked as he cut in, “Bad at fucking?” 

Jason flushed; Roy had said that that word so unnecessarily  _ coy _ , his eyes brightening as Jason sent him a dark look and shoved at his thigh. 

“Shut  _ up _ . I was going to say bad at fucking taking orders, dick head.” The two of them are buzzing, Jason’s entire body feeling like he’s on fire, the mix of close proximity and the bantering and Roy’s eyes flicking to Jason’s lips as he talks sending his head wild.

“You need to be wrapped in bubble wrap or something.” Jason told him with an airy voice. Roy had unlinked their fingers, his hand lightly wrapped around Jason’s wrist. Blunt nails dug in, and Jason gasped.

“Harper. We’re not doing this in a damn hospital.”

“Can never get you to talk to me otherwise. Humour me, Jason. I’m very seriously injured.” Roy asked, and Jason met his eyes. His lashes were so long, the tips of them lighter so you couldn’t notice unless you were this close. Freckles smattered on his nose; cheeks pink.

“Is this a fuck around?” Jason was diverting the topic, too nervous to think. He felt raw, like Roy was unravelling him. He wanted to flee, wished he could go back to that damn elevator, even back to before they’d got in this mess.

“Do you want it to be?” Roy asked, some of his confidence deflating. Jason was happy it wasn’t him hooked up to the machines; knew his beating heart would be sending them into overdrive now. He took his other hand, shaking, and pressed it right below the gauze, over Roy’s pectoral muscle, fingers scraping the clean tape.

Roy’s heart jumped under his palm, indicated by another warning beep.

“I don’t… This is the first time I’ve- You’re my best friend, Roy.” It’s a cop-out, Jason was not even looking Roy in the eye as he spoke, his sore ankle protesting where he had linked it with Roy’s, Roy’s spare hand moving from his wrist to grip his hip. His thumb dug into an old bruise and Jason grit his teeth. He felt dizzy, like he was the one waking up from a mild sedative instead, hyper aware that any wrong move could send the two of them crashing down.

“Use your words, Jay.” Roy muttered, Jason stuck between wanting to pull away completely or commit to planting himself on Roy’s lap.

He chewed his bottom lip, considering, before sliding his hand up Roy’s neck and pulling him down, down. His bitten and chapped lips felt wrong against Roy’s, too rough for such a soft act, but then Roy was gripping his hip harder, his bad arm jolting between them as he opened his mouth further.

Jason pulled back, shocked. The inside of Roy’s mouth had been hot, the quick swipe of a tongue against Jason’s bottom lip already making him want to groan.

Roy’s entire chest was flushed, and he watched Jason with caution.

“Oh.” Was all Jason had to say to that, his fingers fluttering under Roy’s ear.

A voice from the hallway yelled out and Jason paused, Roy sending him a raised eyebrow.

He pulled himself off the bed - and Roy - quickly, careful not to jostle him but also not wanting to face the consequences of being caught here without prior knowledge. The voices passed with the moment, and Jason stood helpless next to Roy, unsure of his next move.

“Break me out of here, in the morning?” Roy asked, his own breathing controlled as he adjusted the blankets around him. Jason swallowed.

“Roy, I-”

“Come here?” Roy asked, holding out his hand, and Jason stepped forward. Roy fisted a handful of Jason’s shirt, pulling him close, and pressed an open mouthed kiss just under his ear. Jason clenched his fingers tight, a pit of butterflies erupting in his stomach.

He felt dizzy when Roy let go, as if his head was in space.

“I expect flowers even more now, just so you know.” Roy said, and Jason envied how all put together he could make himself look. Jason picked up his hat and nodded, clearing his throat.

“Sure thing, Ronald Todd. Our official first date.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks Jules for the inspo for this title (Into You by gay icon Ariana Grande), and thanks Nadine for the read-over.


End file.
